Community Firefighting Tanks
A solution for flood and fire
Community water management can reduce the risk of future extreme weather events becoming disasters.
In 2023, Blue Mountains City Council built an in-ground concrete community firefighting tank at Mount Tomah to ensure a Static Water Supply for the RFS.
In 2024, we built a 150,000 litre underground tank made of StormBrixx at the Planetary Health Centre. It’s fed by stormwater as part of a Circular Water Bushfire System and water is pumped to bushfire sprinklers on the building. It’s a model for potential tanks that could be installed at the end of flame zone streets.
While retaining water for fire, they could also detain stormwater surges in heavy rain events, thereby providing a solution for both flood and fire. Both tanks were built with the support of State and Federal governments.
Community Firefighting Tank at Mount Tomah
In 2023, with the support of State and Federal government funding, Blue Mountains City Council built an inground watertank for firefighting at Mount Tomah. Designed with the local RFS and Residents Association the tank pumps water to a hard stand where tankers can rapidly refill during a fire. The top of the tank slopes to the middle so it can collect rainwater.
Circular Water for Disaster Risk Reduction
At the Future Proofing with Circular Water Symposium, held at the Planetary Health Centre in 2024, Mark Liebman discussed the Integrated Bushfire System installed on site as a model for the type of community water system that could be installed at the end of flame zone streets around the City to reduce the risk of disaster during bushfires (while also reducing stormwater pulses during heavy rain events).